Category Archives: Decontamination Microbial

EFSA – Aged meat not riskier than fresh meat

Posted on January 25, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Aged meat does not pose any additional risks compared to fresh meat if it is aged under controlled conditions, EFSA experts concluded in a scientific opinion released today.

Meat ageing is a process during which microbes and enzymes act upon the meat to break down the connective tissue, thereby tenderising the meat and giving it a richer flavour. This can be done through two main methods: wet ageing and dry ageing. Wet ageing is used for beef, pork and lamb that is stored and refrigerated in a vacuum package, while dry aged beef is refrigerated without packaging which results in a dry surface that is cut off before preparation.

“Aged meat has risen in popularity in recent years among the food industry and restaurants yet until now there has been a lack of knowledge about its safety. EFSA’s advice contributes to fill that gap and provides a solid scientific basis for food business operators to produce aged meat that is safe,” said the Chair of EFSA’s Panel on Biological Hazards, Prof Kostas Koutsoumanis.

There are no additional risks involved provided that the specific combination of time and temperature identified in the scientific opinion are observed during the ageing process, said EFSA’s experts. For example, dry aged beef can be considered as safe as fresh beef if ageing is done for up to 35 days at a temperature of 3°C or lower.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

USA – DOJ Starts Criminal Investigation into Abbott Over Formula – Cronobacter

Posted on January 25, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Poisoning Bulletin

According to news reports, the Department of Justice has started a criminal investigation into Abbott Laboratories in relation to the cronobacter contamination at the Abbott plant that caused a shutdown last year and the resulting baby food supply crisis that triggered a severe shortage of powdered baby formula. Cronobacter can cause serious illness in infants and can be deadly.

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Posted in Cronobacter sakazakii, cross contamination, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – An outbreak of Hepatitis A virus infection in a secondary school in England with no undetected asymptomatic transmission among students

Posted on January 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Cambridge Org

Abstract

In June 2019 the Health Protection Team in Yorkshire and Humber, England, was notified of cases of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in staff at a secondary school. Investigation revealed that an earlier case worked as a food handler in the school kitchen. Indirect transmission through food from the canteen was considered the most likely route of transmission. Cases were described according to setting of exposure. Oral fluid was obtained from students for serological testing. Environmental investigations were undertaken at settings where food handling was considered a potential transmission risk. Thirty-three confirmed cases were linked to the outbreak. All of those tested (n = 31) shared the same sequence with a HAV IB genotype. The first three cases were a household cluster and included the index case for the school. A further 19 cases (16 students, 3 staff) were associated with the school and consistent with indirect exposure to the food handler. One late onset case could not be ruled out as a secondary case within the school and resulted in vaccination of the school population. Five cases were linked to a bakery where a case from the initial household cluster worked as a food server. No concerns about hygiene standards were noted at either the school or the bakery. Oral fluid samples taken at the time of vaccination from asymptomatic students (n = 219, 11–16 years-old) showed no evidence of recent or current infection. This outbreak included household and foodborne transmission but limited (and possibly zero) person-to-person transmission among secondary school students. Where adequate hygiene exists, secondary transmission within older students may not occur.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, food handler, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, Hand Washing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak

Research – Study reveals Botulism impact in Italy

Posted on January 21, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Food Safety News

kswfoodworld

Italian researchers have looked at botulism trends over two decades including a large outbreak in 2020.

Italy has one of the highest botulism rates in Europe with one factor being a strong home canning tradition in the country. From 1986 to September 2022, 406 botulism incidents involving 599 people were laboratory confirmed.

The study described the surveillance system as well as information on botulism cases reported by local health services and those from hospital discharge forms from 2001 to 2020.

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. In foodborne botulism, symptoms generally begin 18 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food. However, they can start as soon as six hours after or as long as 10 days later.

Symptoms can include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision, and trouble speaking or swallowing. It paralyzes respiratory muscles so most patients must be placed on life support. Difficulty breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distention and constipation may also occur. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.

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Posted in botulism, Clostridium, Clostridium botulinum, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Poisoning Death, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Poisoning

Research – Microbiological safety of aged meat

Posted on January 19, 2023 by | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

The impact of dry-ageing of beef and wet-ageing of beef, pork and lamb on microbiological hazards and spoilage bacteria was examined and current practices are described. As ‘standard fresh’ and wet-aged meat use similar processes these were differentiated based on duration. In addition to a description of the different stages, data were collated on key parameters (time, temperature, pH and aw) using a literature survey and questionnaires.

The microbiological hazards that may be present in all aged meats included Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli(STEC),Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, enterotoxigenic Yersinia spp., Campylobacter spp. and Clostridium spp. Moulds, such as Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp., may produce mycotoxins when conditions are favourable but may be prevented by ensuring a meat surface temperature of−0.5 to 3.0°C, with a relative humidity (RH) of 75–85% and an airflow of 0.2–0.5 m/s for up to 35 days.

The main meat spoilage bacteria include Pseudomonas spp., Lactobacillus spp. Enterococcus spp., Weissella spp., Brochothrix spp., Leuconostoc spp. Lactobacillus spp., Shewanella spp. and Clostridium spp. Undercurrent practices, the ageing of meat may have an impact on the load of microbiological hazards and spoilage bacteria as compared to standard fresh meat preparation. Ageing under defined and controlled conditions can achieve the same or lower loads of microbiological hazards and spoilage bacteria than the variable log10increases predicted during standard fresh meat preparation. An approach was used to establish the conditions of time and temperature that would achieve similar or lower levels of L. monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica (pork only) and lactic acid bacteria(representing spoilage bacteria) as compared to standard fresh meat. Finally, additional control activities were identified that would further assure the microbial safety of dry-aged beef, based on recommended best practice and the outputs of the equivalence assessment.

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Posted in Brochothrix thermosphacta, Clostridium, Decontamination Microbial, Enterococcus, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Shigatoxin, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, STEC, STEC E.coli

Taipei – Nearly 140,000 seek treatment for diarrhea – Norovirus

Posted on January 18, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Taipei Times

Nearly 140,000 people sought medical treatment for diarrhea last week, as 64 clusters of diarrhea cases were reported over the past four weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said in a news release on Monday, advising people to maintain good hand hygiene and food safety practices during the Lunar New Year holiday.

From Jan. 8 to Saturday last week, 139,728 people went to see a doctor for diarrhea — higher than the 104,114 and 116,497 cases reported in the same period last year and in 2021 respectively, the CDC’s surveillance data showed.

A total of 64 clusters of diarrhea cases were also reported in the past four weeks, higher than the 54 clusters reported in the same period last year, it said.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, food bourne outbreak, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, foodborne outbreak, foodbourne outbreak, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Norovirus, outbreak

Research – USA – Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 2023–2026 Strategic Plan

Posted on January 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

FSIS USDA

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health regulatory agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for ensuring that domestic and imported meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and accurately labeled. Consistent with its role, FSIS’ mission is to protect public health by preventing illness from meat, poultry, and egg products. That mission guides FSIS’ actions—from implementing and enforcing the Acts from which it gets its regulatory authority (Box 1), to incorporating data and science into Agency decision making, and to continuously improving its operations to ensure it functions in the most efficient and effective manner. It is through that mission and the actions guided by it that FSIS works toward its vision that everyone’s food is safe

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, food safety training, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Thailand – Bangkok kids suffer food poisoning after eating free noodles for Children’s Day

Posted on January 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

The Thaiger

A group of Bangkok kids suffered food poisoning after eating free noodles on Friday for Children’s Day. Over 10 ambulances rushed to Wat Naknimit School on Soi Suksawat 14, Suksawat road, to help the 30 kids.

One female student said someone had distributed packs of instant noodles fried with crab sticks, sausages, eggs, and cabbage at a table. They later started to feel ill.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Illness, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Foodborne Illness, Illness, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – IFST Fact Sheet – Safe Heating of Food

Posted on January 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

IFST

This Food Science Fact Sheet is one of a series compiled by Institute of Food Science and Technology, providing clear, concise and scientifically reliable information on key food science topics for consumers.

Safe Heating of Food – Saving energy and staying safe

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, food safety training, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk

Research – Protective Bacterial Culture Could Target Foodborne Superbugs

Posted on January 16, 2023 by | Leave a comment

Laboratory Equipment

Key points:

  • Researchers examined the ability of a protective culture—Hafnia alvei B16—in the prevention of infection by Salmonella.
  • According to the findings, Hafnia alvei B16 reduced Salmonella’s ability to invade human intestinal cells by nearly 90%.
  • The study also found differences in gene expression and how the two serovars responded to the protective culture in milk.

A new study published by University of Connecticut researchers builds upon our understanding of the ability of a protective culture called Hafnia alvei B16 to prevent infection by two Salmonella serovars, a grouping within the Salmonella enterica species. The serovars studied are common culprits in foodborne illness outbreaks and are resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Presently, most of the protective cultures on the market target gram-positive bacteria rather than gram-negative ones. gram-positive protective cultures are most effective against gram-positive pathogens, meaning there is a need for effective protective cultures against gram-negative pathogens, like E.coli and Salmonella.

In the study, published in Food Microbiology, the team found the Hafnia alvei worked differently than other protective cultures. Most cultures produce antimicrobial metabolites that stop the growth of competing bacteria. Meanwhile, when Hafnia alvei’s metabolites were added to a pathogenic culture, it didn’t stop their growth as expected. But, when the entire Hafnia alvei bacterium was in the presence of E. coli or Salmonella, it did. This told the team it was inhibiting the pathogen’s growth through some other mechanism.

D’Amico’s lab found that growth in the presence of Hafnia alvei decreased the expression of virulence genes in Salmonella and reduced the pathogen’s ability to invade human intestinal cells by nearly 90%.

The same study found differences in how the serovars responded to the protective culture in milk, which may impede the culture’s ability on a global level.

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Posted in Antimicrobials, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Hafnia alvei, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Salmonella